Addressing and Signing Greeting Cards

Now that you've bought your greeting cards and written your holiday letters, how do you address and sign them? I've gotten lots of questions on this topic, and I have answered just about all of them before. Please see this entry: Answers to Mailbag Questions. It gives answers and links to more answers about addressing envelopes, greeting people, and closing your message.

Here are some other questions I've been asked about holiday greetings:

1. Which is correct?
    Gary, Elizabeth, Carol, Max, and Sam OR
    Gary, Elizabeth, Carol, Max and Sam

Answer: Both are correct. The comma before and is optional. To me, it is clearer, and I always use it.

2. What is the correct way to address an envelope to a married couple when the husband and wife are both attorneys?

Answer: Address it the same way you would if they were not attorneys.

3. Is it proper to address a Christmas card to an attorney using Esq. after his name, or should Mr. be used in that personal situation?

Answer: You can address the envelope either way--with Esq. after his name or Mr. before it.

4. To address a letter to Mississauga, Ontario L5R 3M3 CANADA, which parts go on which line?

See my post Test: How to Address an Envelope.

5. How do you address two people who are both Reverends?

    On the address do this:

Reverend Joseph Black

Reverend Sarah Black

    For the greeting do this:

Dear Reverends Black,   OR

Dear Joseph and Sarah,

    If they have different surnames, do this:

Dear Reverends Black and White,

6. Do you include Jr. or Sr. in the greeting?

No.

For other questions about holiday writing, read Help With Your Holiday Writing here.

Happy holidays!

Lynn

Comments

[Darlene Miller]

My brother obtained his BSN from The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing first. Then, he sat for and passed the boards for his RN.
When writing his name, is it
S Miller, RN, BSN
or is it
S Miller, BSN, RN?
It appears that many obtain their RN through a 2-year program then go on for their BSN. Thanks!